Brian Shorter facts for kids
Brian William Shorter, born on November 28, 1968, is a former professional basketball player from America and Italy. He played basketball for about 20 years in different leagues across Europe.
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | November 28, 1968 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Nationality | American / Italian |
| High school |
|
| Listed height | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) |
| Listed weight | 242 lb (110 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Pittsburgh (1987–1991) |
| NBA Draft | 1991 / Undrafted |
| Pro career | 1991–2010 |
| Career history | |
| 1991–1993 | Oostende |
| 1993 | Ginebra San Miguel |
| 1994 | Fort Wayne Fury |
| 1994 | Pau-Orthez |
| 1994–1995 | Andino |
| 1996 | Trieste |
| 1996 | Peñas Huesca |
| 1996–1997 | Andino |
| 1997–1998 | Black Hills Posse |
| 1998 | Guaiqueríes de Margarita |
| 1998 | Trieste |
| 1998 | Virtus Ragusa |
| 1998–1999 | Cordivari Roseto |
| 1999–2000 | Viola Reggio Calabria |
| 2000 | CB Girona |
| 2001–2002 | Virtus Ragusa |
| 2002–2003 | Andrea Costa Imola |
| 2003–2004 | JuveCaserta |
| 2004–2007 | Firenze Basket |
| 2007–2008 | Basket Massafra |
| 2008–2009 | Catanzaro |
| 2009–2010 | Gorizia |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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Contents
Brian Shorter's High School Basketball Journey
Brian Shorter grew up in Philadelphia. He attended Simon Gratz High School with his older brother Rodney. Brian was always considered one of the best young basketball players.
Early High School Success
As a freshman, he was a key player off the bench. He scored about 15.3 points per game. He also earned honors in the Philadelphia Public League. In his second year, he was named ESPN Sophomore of the Year. He averaged 20 points and 10 rebounds per game. In 1985, his team, Simon Gratz, lost a close game in the semifinals. Brian was named to the All-Public League First Team.
During his junior year, Brian was even better. He averaged 31.8 points, 15.8 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks. Simon Gratz again lost in the semifinals. Brian scored 33 points and grabbed 17 rebounds in that game. He was named to the All-Public and All-City first teams. He also won the Pennsylvania Gatorade Player of the Year award.
Moving to Oak Hill Academy
After three years at Simon Gratz, Brian had scored 1,869 points. This was close to Wilt Chamberlain's Philadelphia record. However, Brian was having trouble with his grades. He and his teachers worried he might not get into college.
To improve his grades and keep playing basketball, Brian moved. He transferred to Oak Hill Academy. This is a special boarding school known for its basketball program. In early 1987, Brian decided to play for Pitt in college. He worked hard on his studies and his game.
In his senior year, he averaged 23 points and 13 rebounds. He was one of the top seniors in the country. He was also chosen as a Parade All-American and a McDonald's All-American. In the 1987 McDonald's All-American Boys Game, he was the top scorer with 24 points. He also had 8 rebounds. People often compared his strong and mobile playing style to Bernard King.
Brian Shorter's College Basketball Career
Brian had planned to play for Pitt. But his SAT score was too low for a college scholarship. This meant he couldn't play in his first year. This rule is called Proposition 48 by the NCAA.
Instead of going to another school, Brian decided to train on his own. He focused on weight training, ball handling, and jumpshooting.
Making an Impact at Pitt
After a year of not playing, Brian started his college career in the 1988–89 season. He quickly became a star for Pitt. He started all 30 games. He led his team in scoring and rebounding. He was also one of the top players in his conference.
He was named Big East Freshman of the Year. He was also part of the Big East First Team. He received an NCAA All-American Honorable Mention.
In his second season, Brian led the Big East in scoring. He averaged 20.6 points per game. He was also third in rebounds. In his third and final year, his stats went down a little. This was partly because he played fewer minutes. He finished that season with 13.6 points and 6.4 rebounds. Throughout his college career, Brian was good at drawing fouls. This meant he got to shoot a lot of free throws.
College Statistics Overview
Here's a quick look at Brian's college stats:
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1988–89 | Pitt | 30 | 30 | 34.9 | .600 | .500 | .715 | 9.6 | 1.6 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 19.6 |
| 1989–90 | Pitt | 29 | 29 | 36.8 | .532 | .000 | .662 | 9.4 | 1.4 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 20.6 |
| 1990–91 | Pitt | 33 | 32 | 25.9 | .473 | .000 | .769 | 6.4 | 1.1 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 13.6 |
| Career | 92 | 91 | 32.3 | .538 | .100 | .710 | 8.4 | 1.3 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 17.8 |
Brian Shorter's Professional Basketball Career
Brian Shorter was eligible for the 1991 NBA draft. However, no NBA team chose him. So, he decided to play basketball overseas.
Playing in Europe and Beyond
His first team was Oostende in Belgium. He played there for two seasons. In 1993, he finished the season playing for Barangay Ginebra San Miguel in the Philippines. In 1994, he joined the Fort Wayne Fury in the Continental Basketball Association. He only played two games there.
After a short time with the French club Pau-Orthez, Brian went to Argentina. He played for Andino in the Liga Nacional de Básquet. There, he led the league in rebounding. He averaged 13.2 rebounds per game.
In 1996, he played a few games in the Italian league. He scored about 16.8 points per game. Brian played many seasons in Italy throughout his career. He played in both the top league and lower leagues. He also played in the top Spanish league, Liga ACB, in 1995–96. He played five games for Peñas Huesca. He then played again for Andino in Argentina. He also played for the IBA team Black Hills Posse.
Brian played for several more teams in Italy. This included Roseto, where he averaged 18.7 points in 24 games. He ended his long career in 2010. He was 42 years old and playing for Gorizia.
See also
In Spanish: Brian Shorter para niños
